Be there for her, Care for her, Love her
by Twilight Obsessed Twilight
Summary: "I will make this up to her, if takes the whole eternity I will do so. She can move on if she wants...  After New Moon. One-shot Edward and charlie talk... XD!


**28.10.10**

**A/N: Hey! New story, well actually it's a one-shot. I've been working on this for a while – but only 'coz I want it to be perfect.**

**EPOV**

We had been in this exact position before, her snuggled up by side with a blanket. Except now I wasn't leaving, not again. Charlie wasn't exactly happy that I was back, but I hoped he could see Bella happy again (I still don't know how she was so happy – I lied, left her alone...).

Bella had fallen asleep half way through the movie we were watching. Her chest moved up and down, her lips parted slightly and her hand subconsciously give mine a squeeze. She had dark circles under her eyes, from her sleepless nights she had told me and the nightmares. I heard Charlie's cruiser rumble up the path.

_I still don't know why she's so happy _he's _back. She'd be happier and healthier with Jacob. _

He got out and walked up the path to his house. Bella whimpered and pressed herself closer to me as Charlie walked through the door.

_Ugh, he's still here._ I admit, it stung when he couldn't even say my name without his fatherly instincts kicking in. He walked around the corner and spied us on the love-seat.

I handed him the remote, "Watch what you want Charlie. Bella wanted to watch the movie, I don't mind."

He turned it over to a re-run of a baseball game and asked me, "How long has she been asleep?"

"About half the movie, but she has told me about her nightmares and she looked so peaceful and I just let her be. I'll take her upstairs now if you don't mind." Charlie just nodded and continued looking at me. _Just go back to L.A, she just needed time. Jacob was making her happy again. Bet you didn't know that._ I could see his patience was wearing thin.

I lifted her into my arms and cradled her to my body, I walked up the stairs trying not to jostle her and wake her up. She needed a good sleep; I would have her sleep in tomorrow. I laid her down on her bed and tucked her in, when Charlie sauntered up the stairs and over the small hall and stood at the door-frame. I looked at the pictures he was conjuring in his mind. _Jacob leaning over her saying good-night, kissing her good-night, with her in his arms; Bella laughing to his jokes; them watching movies together, the same twinkle back in her eyes as before. _I winced as I kissed her fore-head as I whispered 'Sweet Dreams'. Charlie must have seen my wince as he thought;

_It's not nice is it? What I want? But she could have been happy again. She was getting there. _"I see that you care for her, whether that's real or not, I don't know-"

"Of course it is." I said. But I was still confused, how does he know about the mind-reading. Does he know?

"Fine, but I want to know why you left. The truth." _I want to know... Edward_. _I asked Billy for the whole truth, so I know. I want your version, your side. I'll _try_ to be diplomatic. But I want to know why you left her in the middle of the woods, alone. Do you what she went through; trying to hold onto you? She was a wreck for months! MONTHS! _

If he knows why isn't he running away, screaming as he goes? If he knows, why hasn't he kicked me out? _Trying _to be diplomatic?

But I could feel his anger during the silent rant and decided to answer him, giving him what he wanted – the truth.

"Right." I said as we went downstairs again.

He sat on his arm chair, facing me with a stern look on his face.

"So you spoke to Billy?" He nodded, _and Sue._

"So what exactly do you know?" I asked

"That you are...Emm..."

"Vampires, yes."

"And so are the rest of family. Is that why your eyes change?"

"Perceptive..." I murmured, "Yes." I answered louder for Charlie's sake.

And I told him everything, about how I acted when we first met, the van incident, the meadow, the day she spent at our house, us declaring our love to each other, the baseball game, James's threats, Phoenix, the hospital, her birthday, my leaving, my 'distractions', the Volturi, the plane home. Just not about me asking her to become my wife.

"And I left, because even though I love her with every fibre in my being, she wasn't safe with me. Look at what _my own brother_ did to her. She could have easily been d-dead," my voice cracking on the end word, "I thought she didn't belong in my world. She would've been safer and happier – knowing she wasn't in danger – if she moved on and forgot about me. She could have been with some-one who cares for her like I do. You would have seen that too, if you approve of some-one then I would have been happy. I was probably going to come by again. To see if she had done what I, well not necessarily _wanted_ but hoped she could have done, and if she was happy enough I would have left again.

"I realise now that I only made things worse, and that was the worst decision of my entire existence." He sat in silence whilst I explained everything, his heartbeat only speeding up when I told him about the Volturi – James having already been dealt with.

"But she wanted to hold on to you. She was _lifeless _for months! Not eating, just...just sitting there! Do nothing! She would answer a question and that's about it. She never read, she didn't listen to music, watch TV, and go out for _MONTHS!_" Charlie let out a ragged breath. The images in his mind were horrible. More than that. Agonizingly painfully _unbearably _horrible.

_Bella lying in Sam's arms, whispering "He's gone" over and over again; Dr. Gerandy looking over her time and time again; telling Charlie to take her to a professional, to get help, throwing words like catatonic around; sitting there, do nothing, lifeless like Charlie'd said; the nightmares and screaming in the middle of the night; throwing a fit at the possibility of moving to Jacksonville. _

Charlie POV

I showed him the pictures, the months of fret and worry I had put up with, trying to keep Bella sane. When I finished he was cringing in the extreme, and was shaking uncontrollably – like he was being electrocuted. He fell to the ground holding his head and screaming. He stayed like that for 15 minutes before the screaming stopped and turned into little whimpers, the shaking almost stopped and he opened his eyes again.

I saw the same look in his eyes that I had seen in my own for the first year without Renée. Lifelessness.

EPOV

When I was in control again, I heard Charlie whisper; "I know, it's horrible seeing it. Devastating, agonizing. She used to be so strong... but you realise your mistake now, you can go." He said getting up off his arm-chair.

"Charlie, wait please." I called out and he stopped, "I _will_ make this up to her, if takes the whole eternity I will do so. She can move on if she wants. If that's what she's thinks would be best – I will not stand in her way. But if she does so, he has to care for her deeply. More than that, he has to love her on his worst days, care for her when he is on his death bed, be there for her when she needs supporting." I said standing up too.

Charlie turned to face me and sighed, "I don't think she'll be letting go of you so soon, so get ready for that."

"Charlie if, by some miracle, she still wants me. Will you give me your blessing for her hand?" I was already nervous and I'm sure my wavering voice backed that up.

"Will you love her on your worst days, care for her on _your_ deathbed, be there for her? For ever and always?"

"Yes."

"Then prove it, make it up to her. Always be there for her, care for her, love her."

"Always."

"Prove it...and ...yes." he whispered then slowly went to the door and unlocked it quietly.

**A/N: How sweet...or depressing? Really Megan, where did you come up with this idea? Lol. Well you like?**

**Review and I'll... give you a cookie? Be your BFF? :D XD**

**xx**

**~Megan**


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